Rapunzel ~ A new spin

As I stated earlier, I wrote a story called Rapunzel. While it sits idle in an empty room, I thought I’d share this tale with you, grammatical errors and all. A good flash fiction piece if I do say so myself.  I will take this down after it goes through editing.

Thanks for reading!

Wc: 986

Rapunzel

Her bare feet press into the moist soil as she steps ever so closely to the heart of where the sounds of laughter are bellowing. Looking ahead she sees them all playing, in a circle with balloons of smiley faces bouncing from one to another. She approaches in a whisper of wind, no one paying her any mind as one step becomes lighter than the other.

Her long white silken gown blows in the breeze appearing to be a mighty wave on the ocean. She nears the commotion to see many standing and playing ball, all with a smiley face on them. This must be a dream. All dreams will come alive here in this village of laughter and fun. She’s cautious with her approach.

“STOP!” a voice cries out, “you don’t belong here!”

The circle takes notice of her and all come to her side exclaiming in a joyful tone, “You’re here, Z!”

Z is the pleasant nickname they’ve bestowed upon Rapunzel. Her arms raise to embrace the ones who are welcoming and her eyes are not unaware that off to her left in the midst of the trees, there sits awaiting dark looming creatures with snarling mouths, claws on their fingers waiting to gouge the bark off the trees.

No words spill from her mouth as in a sudden quake of lucidity, she realizes they are all staring at her. The mist in the forest thickens as she begins to turn and walk away, but not before the cold clammy hand reaches her shoulder. “You’re coming with me,” he mutters in a raspy hoarse voice.

His hand feels like an arctic glacier that causes a shudder throughout her now chilled body; his eyes are as piercing as a daggers blade of fire. His body towering over her shadowing her in darkness, running is not an option as the minions that seek to lead her away from the happy circle outnumber her.

Her long flowing hair is full of the mist that surrounds her, her feet are damp from the soil as she walks with them to the shrouded castle. The aroma of a foul marsh assaults her nose. Her insides are turned like churning butter as she wonders what fate has dealt her this time. The laughter and joy that bled to tears and angst is off in the distance as the woods encircle her and she is led deeper into the cauldron of naysayers.

“To the tower,” he bursts out in fleshy tone, “away with you, until we see fit to release you.”

Rapunzel uttered not a word as she knew her punishment and hatred was unwarranted. The dark force holds no power over her, and fear is certainly not of her being; she walks on, knowing that this is not the end.

She waits in the tower until those below decide what to do with this deemed atrocity. She listens intently as the echoes filter up the spiral stairs into the one tiny room with a window that she has been locked in.

From the depths below, calamities of voices are sounding out.

“She doesn’t belong here, she’s nothing but trouble.”

“Little miss drama queen, what is she going to drum up next?”

“I fear she’ll ruin this place of unity that we’ve built.”

“SILENCE!” comes from the leader of the pack, “remember, she has helped in building this place, she was essential and vital to its growth. I can’t bear to feed her to you as you all obviously wish from me.”

Silence now holds the echoes of chains and celebratory clinking glasses and bouncing hungry voices. The silence deafens, as a harmonic song is lifted in the tower. Rapunzel sings a soft song as they all turn their weary heads. The argumentative stance is now loosened as they move closer and closer to the steps, leading to the tower.

“My one true voice, I shall find

among the sighted not the blind”

Her voice is as fleecy as a feather, floating weightlessly down the stairs melting like wax in the ears of those who are listening.

“To all of those who wish to bind

Will never know me and my kind.”

Her voice is fading ever so gently into the distance it rides…

“I am me, only one of my kind

You’ll never steal

the dreams in my mind.”

“RUBBISH!” one angry voice spits out.

A hush stirs the room to silence. So quiet, the mouse in the corner stops his search for a crumb, awaiting them to spot him at any moment. As a pin drops it belts out a thundering slam to the floor.

The minions all push and shove to get to the top of the stairs. One trips and is crumbled beneath the boot of the Master; another falls to the side as an army of hatred pushes her there. They reach the top with bated breath; swing open the door to find… the room is empty.

On an eagles wings Rapunzel can be seen soaring atop the circle of laughter and cheers below, through the thick forest trees, swerving in and out as if to carry her to a lighter path, one which she is all to familiar with, peace.

“Look, she left this,” claims one of the seeds of trivial hate, “but how…” the voice softens. A tear climbs over her eye as she realizes the wrong done to Rapunzel. They begin to lament as a brewing storm portends to wreak havoc on the forest and the fire that was in their weak minds erupts in a calamity of destruction, leaving them forever trapped in the infernal tower that they alone created.

The note says, “Alone, one voice is nothing. Together they become a choir. One voice to tell the world. Two voices will bind them. I have hope to see in the dark, and all at once I’ll find them.”